Friday, April 01, 2011

Mars Hill Pastor Driscoll on Jesus and Hell

Well known author and preacher Rob Bell, from Grandville, Michigan, has recently released (just in time for Easter) a new book titled, "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and The Fate Of Every Person Who Ever Lived."

Bell questions the idea that a loving God would send people to an eternal hell. In his mind it wouldn't be "fair" that people who only sin for a few decades would really deserve eternal torment in hell, because that would be unjust punishment.

Bell says in his promotional video that circulated prior to the book's release last week, "Millions and millions of people were taught that the primary message, the center of the gospel of Jesus, is that God is going to send you to hell unless you believe in Jesus. So what gets subtly sort of caught and taught is that Jesus rescues you from God. How could that goal be good...and how could that ever be good news?"

He says the good news is that "Love Wins".

Many evangelical leaders and pastors are saying he's wrong, calling him on it and saying he is teaching "universalism," not the biblical gospel.

Driscoll wrote on his website earlier this month that it's important to understand that God doesn't send just anyone to hell, but only those who reject his revelation and choose to suppress the Truth that is plainly revealed to them.

He said, "Hell is only for those who persistently reject the real God in favor of false gods."

Last weekend, from his pulpit, he told the thousands who attend, "Let me say it clearly...plainly...loudly: You are in danger. Without Jesus, you go to hell."

He told the congregation, "It greatly disturbs me when well-known pastors, preachers and authors get invited onto television...when the world is listening to them, the interviewer inquires of them, 'If you don't believe in Jesus, are you going to hell?' and they squirm or change the subject or appeal to the emotions or tell a story, they do anything but say 'Yes, if you don't know Jesus you go to hell'."

He continued: "Friends, this is the most serious of matters. I'm not the judge, but there are pastors who are going to hell. So be careful who you trust."

He said roughly 13% of Jesus' teachings and half His parables are in reference to hell, judgement or punishment.

Quoting Jesus Driscoll said, "No one comes to the Father but by me."

"No one. No one," he said. "There is no salvation apart from Him" (Jesus)

Driscoll also told the people there is no second chance. "Your eternal destiny is sealed upon your death."

"Hell," he said, "was made for the devil and his angels who rebelled against God. And just as prison was made to protect the rest of the public, hell was made to 'protect us' ."

"You need not go there," he said.

He pleaded with the congregation not to try to judge God.

"We have three-pound fallen brains---sinful dispositions---we have only been around a few short years. We're not all-knowing," he told the people.

"For us to sit on a throne even if it is an academic throne propped up by footnotes, asking the Creator of heaven and earth to pass before us that we might render a verdict regarding His holiness and justice is how all this got started in the first place," he said.

Driscoll urged his listeners to make a decision---eternal life or eternal death.

"Your still alive," he said, "so I'm pleading with you---make your decision while your still alive."

23 comments:

I am from Kalama. He is so absolutely right on. I really appreciate people who are not afraid to totally rely on the God's revealed word instead of "trying to judge God" with their own wisdom and supposedly educated thinking. If people reject God--Jesus that is their choice and by their own choice are choosing not to spend eternity with their creator. There is only one other place to go. Their precious, priceless souls will go to hell. Greek mythology is not truth. There aren't lots of god's and their aren't lots of truths. If there were, it would eradicate the very meaning of truth.

The Bible clearly teaches that all who reject Jesus will indeed go to eternal damnation - hell. This is a wake up call for true believers to lovingly share the gospel "good news" of everyone's need for salvation through Christ. Christ did not come to condemn but to save. A person decides his own eternal damnation or salvation based on his acceptance or rejection of Christ as his Savior. Rob Bell's teaching is not from the Bible. Believer in Snohomish.

This subject is one of the reasons Christianity is rapidly shrinking in America. The more enlightened we become, the less likely we are to believe that a loving, all knowing god would be vengeful or would punish anyone for eternity.

This is a message that needs to be thundered from every pulpit and reinforced at every small group. Our choices are what sends us to hell. God made a way for us to spend eternity with him through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is through belief, repentance, confession of sins, baptism and walking a life pleasing to God that we are accepted. There is no other way. God said "I set before you life and death, blessings and cursings, choose life, for why should you die"

You see, God sets the rules, He tells us of the benefits of obedience and warns us of the curses of disobedience. He wants all people to spend an eternity with Him. Unfortunely, because of pride and hard-heartedness this won't happen. That's why He warns us. He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, but he will allow us to choose. You see love can't be forced and neither can it be compromised to allow sin to enter heaven. God loves you so much He sent His Son to die a substitute death for you, to pay for your sins, so you don't have to. He will accept you on no other basis. Belief, Repentance, Confession of sins, Baptism(by immersion),and walking by the Spirit of God. That's not to say you become perfect, it's a lifelong journey, it takes commitment. Just like anything worth doing. Here's the question;

Seriously, it's petty. It'd be like me telling my kids that they must believe something pretty far fetched and they have to do it by a certain deadline. And it they don't believe it by then, so sorry, they have to go to jail for the rest of their lives with no chance of ever being let out - ever. I say that would make me extremely petty. But remember, god was created by man in man's image so he's bound to have human traits.

Many gods are created in man's image and after their likeness. The god of the liberal, the socialist and the progressive are fashioned to affirm their beliefs. The true God is eternal and ultimately every knee shall bow before His Son Jesus Christ and confess that he is Lord. I would give this some serious thought. Thankx Gary.

I have given it serious thought, seriously. And I just can't imagine a being that is responsible for all of creation being worried about whether you bow down to them or not. I can imagine them being concerned about how you live your life and whether or not you do good, positive things and contribute positively to their creation. But bowing down? I really don't think the creator of everything would be that vain or insecure.

It's not a question of vanity. It's about honor and reverence for our Creator. We were created to honor him for who he is.

Can the pot say to the potter, "Why have you made me like this?".Our problem as people is we want God to be what we imagine Him to be or wish Him to be.

Our finite minds can't comprehend the infinite, a Being with no beginning and no end,indeed it does sound far-fetched.How could a God that powerful and intelligent care about a seemingly insignificant person like me? Yet He does, He pursues me every day, He is faithful to those who seek Him and He calls every day to those who have not. Again, He takes no pleasure in the destruction of those who reject Him. He loves you very much, seek Him while there is yet time, He will reveal Himself to you. Open your heart.

Good your thinking about these things . I remember wondering about the poor smuck on the island that never had a Bible or heard of Jesus . Does he go to hell? . There are answers to these questions that can logically be answered . Its called apologetics . But of course that is up to you to accept it, study , investigate it . Or what many of us do , there are some things we just don't understand right away .

Christianity is gaining big numbers in Africa, the Pacific Islands,even in China the Home Church movement has found millions of new believers. The concept that we deserve heaven is quite revealing of what the person has been taught or what is in his or heart. Think of how much of a sacrifice was required for a path to Heaven , just think if you worked your rear off for a present for your children , and they said we deserve it . This while ignoring you , rejecting everything you taught them , but yet still expecting presents from you . Kind of spoiled huh ?

If we all got what we deserved , well Thank God he gave us a way to be with pure Love , pure light . God to me is perhaps is more like the Perfect Light of Love . He gives a free choice to reject His Light or accept it . Christians get upset about abortions , consider how "perhaps" God would feel if you were murdered . Do you think the person who murdered you should go to heaven ? How about if you had an abortion , and God valued life he created equally . Can you understand a God that gives you as much value as me, someone else , some with mental disabilities , a child , a child yet to be born . But Jesus told us if we have anger in our heart agianst another we commit murder. Kind of impossibe for anyone to claim they deserve Heaven . Even a Christrian .

Sometimes I have enough problem caring if my own spouse is too tired to do something for me . How about the times we lied , rejected a persons request for help , or how the thoughts we have , How can you judge with your own mind the purety and Love of God ?

Love is only Love when it is given freely. People who go to a hell , want to . The American culture of today , and In Christianity deals with God in a cerebral manner where as in other areas of the world , where Christianity is growing it is accepted more with our hearts . God did not send His Son to scare you into heaven , He sent His son to allow us to go to heaven to live with HIM . We already rejected Him , I figure God is the one going the extra mile , not us . Mick

The Rich Man and Lazarus19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. [1] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers [2]—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Do you really not get it or are you being deliberately obtuse? If someone wrongs you or disrespects you, are you being petty if you voice your displeasure? Of course not.

God created man to worship God, to give Him the honor and respect due Him. He also gave man free will to choose to do so or not. HE WILL NOT FORCE YOU TO LOVE HIM and he will honor your choice. You, as the pot ARE questioning the form in which you were created, hmmmm.....is that petty? God doesn't need your worship, as though He was somehow incomplete without it, He desires it because that's what brings true happiness and fulfillment in the life of His greatest creation, Mankind.

I don't know you, but I love you just the same as Jesus loves me, I will pray for you brother.

Actually, I viewed Christianity from the outside for 46 years. I was agnostic and really didn't think it mattered what I believed. It's pretty astonishing that atheism or "man as god" has produced nothing but death and destruction anywhere it florishes. Yet, people still claimthat man can overcome his problems through their own wisdom and strength. I have seen no evidence of it. It takes a lot more faith to believe you came from the primordial ooze than from a loving and merciful God, when all the evidence clearly favors the existence of just such a Being.

Doesn't the potter have the right to do whatever He wishes with the pot, especially if it isn't doing what He made it for. I don't need to defend eternal punishment. God said "I set before you blessings and cursing, life and death, choose life, for why should you die?" If your pride gets in the way,that's your problem,not God's. Take it up with Him.